WO2002054749A1

WO2002054749A1 - Control and/or monitoring device comprising a switchgear

Info

Publication number: WO2002054749A1
Application number: PCT/EP2002/000035
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ralf Petzold
Original assignee: Zwick, Harry
Priority date: 2001-01-04
Filing date: 2002-01-04
Publication date: 2002-07-11
Also published as: EP1356662A1; DE10153446A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a control and/or monitoring device comprising a switchgear (20) having a plurality of input terminals and/or output terminals (22, 26) which can be interrogated or controlled according to the control commands supplied to the switchgear (20). According to the invention, said switchgear (20) is coupled to an SMS receiver device (10), e.g. a mobile phone. The switchgear is provided with a decoding device for converting received SMS messages into control commands, by which means predefined switch functions and monitoring tasks can be carried out in a remote-controlled manner.

Description

description

Control and / or monitoring device with a switching device

The invention relates to a control and / or monitoring device with a switching device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such control and / or monitoring devices are well known and are described, for example, in DE 198 347 19 AI by the applicant. This publication also addresses remote control of a wide variety of systems, such as Heaters, shutters, etc., via telephone control. For this, the switching device must be provided with a specially designed telephone interface in order to be able to execute the switching commands transmitted by telephone.

The present invention has for its object to provide a control and / or monitoring device with a switching device that also works by phone, but is very easy to implement.

This object is achieved by a control and / or monitoring device with the features of claim 1.

The invention is based on the fact that the switching device is coupled to an SMS receiving device and has a decoding device by means of which received, predetermined SMS messages can be implemented in order to generate those control commands that are necessary for the control and monitoring tasks that are to be implemented by the switching device , are needed. Developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The invention takes advantage of what is now becoming easier thanks to the mobile phone boom, so-called. Exchange SMS. In this context, SMS is understood to be the sending of written messages by telephone to other telephone subscribers, in particular mobile radio subscribers. The abbreviation SMS stands for " ^λ Short Message Service". This short message service can currently be used to exchange texts up to 160 characters in length between the telephone subscribers, mostly mobile radio subscribers. If a recipient cannot be reached, the written message is sent as soon as he can be reached again This short message service is currently available in all GSM networks. Some software manufacturers offer this short message service in connection with e-mail for a fee. In addition, cross-network short messages are possible via an operator service.

The invention is based on the fact that a commercially available SMS receiving device, e.g. the cell phones, which can now be kept very inexpensive, are used for control and monitoring with a switching device that can decode the SMS messages. Not only a mobile phone, but also a conventional telephone, a personal computer, a portable personal computer (laptop) or a hand-held computer, such as the known Palm devices, can be used as the SMS receiving device.

The switching device has terminals in order to be connected to the connector sockets already provided on the SMS receiving device. For example, the mobile phones from Siemens of the type are suitable as SMS receiving devices S 25 / C 25 / S 35 and C 35.

The switching device decodes the previously defined SMS messages received and converts them into the necessary control commands.

In a development of the invention, the switching device is supplied with current or voltage by the SMS receiving device. The switching device expediently has a buffer memory which is loaded in a clocked manner.

The switching device has input and / or output terminals which can be designed as parallel outputs, parallel inputs and / or as serial inputs and outputs. This makes it possible to implement a wide variety of switching and monitoring functions for the devices connected to the switching device.

For function monitoring and to check which function the switching device is currently carrying out, control displays are expediently attached to the switching device, which signal the current operating state of the switching device.

In a further development of the invention it is provided that the switching device acknowledges an executed control function or monitoring function to the device sending the SMS message. Such a control command acknowledgment is expediently provided with a date so that it can later be traced back when the function was carried out. For example, the time, day, month and year of the function performed can be transferred as the date.

Another development of the invention provides that a memory, for example a table memory or the like, is provided in the switching device. The same is provided, which stores the different possible SMS messages that are provided for monitoring or control. This speeds up the implementation of the SMS message in the control or monitoring function.

To ensure that only very specific devices that send SMS messages or their operators can carry out the control or monitoring function on the switching device, previously defined code words are defined, which must be attached to the SMS messages and are in accordance with code words , which are stored in the switching device. If an incorrect or no code word is added to an SMS message, the switchgear remains idle and does not carry out the requested functions.

The control and / or monitoring device described above is equipped with a switching device which has a multiplicity of input and / or output terminals which can be queried and / or controlled according to the control devices supplied to the switching device. The switching device is coupled to an MS receiving device, for example a telephone, a mobile telephone, a personal computer, a portable personal computer or a hand-held computer, and is equipped with a decoding device, by means of which received predetermined SMS messages for generating the Control commands can be implemented.

This control and / or monitoring device is used, for example, to control the heating, the roller shutters, a lawn sprinkler or the like by remote control.

For monitoring children's rooms, monitoring systems are known which monitor the noises in the children's room, for example Crying or screaming, transmitted to the parents or a caregiver, so that children, especially small children, can be carefully regretted even if the parents or the caregiver are in another room or out of the house. However, it is cumbersome and reduces concentration for other activities if the supervisor has to constantly monitor the noises in the nursery.

In a further development of the invention it is therefore provided to expand the control and / or monitoring device disclosed above in such a way that reliable acoustic monitoring is ensured without constantly paying attention to the noises reproduced by the monitoring device.

A possibility for a realization is given in claims 15 to 28.

For this purpose, the control and monitoring device according to the invention is equipped with a sound level measuring device that measures the sound level and a sound reproduction device. If the measured sound level exceeds a predeterminable threshold value, the sound reproduction device is activated, which plays a tone sequence, preferably a melody soothing for infants, for a predefinable period of time. After playing the melody, the sound level is measured again. In addition, it is determined, for example by means of a counter, how often the sound level threshold value is exceeded within a predefinable time interval. If the number of times the sound level threshold is exceeded within the predefinable time interval exceeds a predeterminable maximum number, the SMS receiving device, for example a mobile phone, sends a message to an SMS receiving device. preferably a mobile phone again to alert the parents or a guardian.

One advantage of this further training can be seen in the fact that the parents or the supervisor are only alerted if the children do not calm down after a predetermined period of time.

A second advantage is that by playing the child-calming melody, the children are often reassured without the presence of the parents or the caregiver in the children's room. In this way, part of the caring work is relieved of the parents or caregivers.

The invention is explained in more detail below in connection with figures using an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

1: the control and / or monitoring device according to the invention with a switching device coupled to a mobile phone,

Fig. 2: the switching device shown in Fig. 1 in larger

Detail and

Fig. 3: a possible pin assignment of the parallel inputs and outputs of the switching device of Fig. 2 when controlling a shutter drive.

Fig. 4 shows an application example of the invention with a

Switching device and with a first and a second SMS receiving device and

Fig. 5 shows an arrangement for measuring the sound level and Play a sequence of tones or melodies.

In the following figures, unless otherwise stated, the same reference symbols designate the same parts with the same meaning.

1 schematically shows a control and monitoring device which has a conventional mobile telephone 10 to which a switching device 20 to be explained is connected. To connect the switching device 20 to the cell phone 10, the connection strip provided on the cell phone 10 can be used.

The switching device 20 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The dimensions can be, for example, 40 mm x 25 mm x 12 mm. The operating voltage of the switching device 20 can expediently vary between 2.8 volts and 4.6 volts DC voltage. The switching device 20 is preferably supplied with energy via the mobile telephone 10. The current consumption in a realized exemplary embodiment of the switching device 20 is approximately 2.4 A and is carried out in cycles, e.g. every six seconds.

In addition to input and output terminals 22, 26, the switching device 20 has control displays 24. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, two LEDs are provided as control displays 24. One of the LEDs is yellow, the other red. With this control display 24 it is possible to signal the following operating states:

Red LED lights up continuously: data exchange from or to the mobile phone 10; LED flashes red: normal operating status; LED yellow switched off: no change of state of the on

/ Outputs; and LED yellow lights up continuously: inputs / outputs of switching device 20 are reset.

The terminals 22 can have, for example, four connections, namely a first connection E1 as an input terminal in parallel mode, a second terminal AI and a third terminal A2 as output terminals in parallel mode, and a fourth terminal as a ground connection ground. In addition, the switching device 20 has terminals 26 which have a multiplicity of sockets or plug terminals and can serve, for example, as 32 outputs in serial mode and 16 inputs in serial mode. Finally, the switching device 20 is suitable for supplying an output load with current, e.g. 20 mA per output.

Within the switching device 20, a decoding device is provided, with which previously defined SMS messages received via the mobile telephone 10 are converted into control commands. The switching device 20 is expediently programmed exclusively via a stored entry in the SMS memory of the mobile telephone 10. For this purpose, the SMS memory of the mobile phone 10 is completely deleted beforehand. A text message is then created according to the syntax described below and saved, specifying the mobile phone number to which you want to report back. As an operating system, this SMS message remains permanently stored within the switching device 20. In the following exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that a total of 31 characters are sufficient.

In the exemplary embodiment of a possible syntax shown above, a distinction is made between upper and lower case letters. If certain areas are not used, e.g. of the code word, these must be filled in with spaces.

The example of a possible syntax for the decoding device described above is expedient, but not mandatory.

Other syntaxes are also possible, but would have to be defined beforehand.

A wide variety of devices that are to be controlled or monitored can be connected to the switching device 20 of FIG. 2. A parallel connection or a serial connection can be provided as the connection configuration. With the parallel connection configuration, for example, two OC-switched outputs, for example outputs AI and A2, and a parallel input El can be provided. The outputs can switch up to 20 mA against 0 volts and thus directly control relays with a 5 volt operating voltage and free-wheeling diode.

The input El reacts to OPEN and short circuit. External voltages present at the input El should not exceed 5 volts.

3 shows an example of how a roller shutter control is to be connected to the switching device 20. The roller shutter control is designated by the reference symbol RS and, in addition to two terminals K1 and K2 for a DC voltage supply of 5 volts, has a switch S and two separately controllable relays R1 and R2 with associated freewheeling diodes D1 and D2 together with switching elements S1 and S2. The relay Rl controls the switching element S1, whereby the roller shutter is opened and the relay R2 controls the shutter when the switching element S2 is closed.

The switching device 20 is connected to the roller shutter control RS in the following way:

The analog output AI is connected to a line of the relay Rl. The other line of the relay R1 is connected within the roller shutter control RS to the terminal K2, to which +5 volts is applied. The output A2 of the switching device 20 is connected to a line of the second relay R2. The other line of relay R2 is also in contact with terminal K2 within the roller shutter control RS. The switch S of the roller shutter control RS is connected between the two terminals El and the terminal ground. The terminal Kl, to which -5 volts is connected, is connected to the ground terminal. The switch S is a limit switch of the shutter control. With a serial connection configuration, up to six (6x8 = 48) serial / parallel shift registers can be controlled, with which up to 32 outputs and 16 inputs can then be controlled or removed. The shift registers are very inexpensive building blocks. The distribution to the correct outputs and the serial interrogation of the inputs is carried out automatically by the switching device 20. A wide variety of control and monitoring tasks can be performed in this way.

In order for the desired control or monitoring function to function, the device sending the SMS message must send a command text that is precisely defined. For the sake of simplicity, the command text is permanently stored in advance in the switching device 20 and is only called up via the SMS message. The command word must exactly match the stored command word within the switching device 20.

The following command text would be useful, for example:

spaces

Xxx number for the output to be controlled or the input to be queried (1 ... 32) space

ON for switching on

OFF for switching off

IMPxx for keys (xx = specified in minutes 1 ... 59, without specifying the push button function) IN for querying inputs

ACT to activate the inputs (alarm function)

PAS to deactivate the inputs

CODxx the code word stored in the SMS-Boy can be overwritten spaces

Xxxxx code word if it is activated

Each SMS message sent that is intended to control or monitor a device connected to the switching device 20 must have the command sequence described above.

If the switching device 20 is intended to acknowledge a control or monitoring task that has taken place, a feedback is also provided by SMS message. The acknowledgment can be done, for example, by the message "command executed". A date and time are expediently added to this command.

With the structure of the command sequence specified above, the following commands can be sent, for example:

"Roller shutter 1 INP" With this message, output 1 is scanned and, for example, a roller shutter is opened.

"Garden sprinkler 16 INP 10"

This SMS message can be used to activate garden irrigation at exit 16 for 10 minutes.

"Alarm AKT 12345"

With this SMS message, the alarm system with the code word

"12345" switched on.

"Basement 1 IN"

This SMS message can be used, for example, at input 1

Water level sensors in the basement can be queried. Although the control and / or monitoring device has previously been described as for controlling devices within a house, this device can also be used in a variety of ways outside a house wherever control and / or monitoring functions have to be performed. For example, the device according to the invention can also be used to control and monitor functions within a motor vehicle. This application is useful because cell phones are already installed in a large number of motor vehicles. By adding the switching device, as has been described so far, inside the motor vehicle and connecting this switching device to the mobile phone, it is possible in a simple manner, for example to switch on a parking heater by remote control, by sending a suitable SMS message by telephone to the mobile phone of the motor vehicle is sent. In addition to switching on the auxiliary heater, an anti-theft alarm system can also be switched on or off within the motor vehicle. It is also possible in summer to lower the windows of the motor vehicle remotely so that a driver does not have to get into the overheated interior of the motor vehicle. Countless other control and monitoring tasks can also be performed with the device according to the invention.

Another area of application is to control machines such as cigarette machines remotely. All that is required for this is to install a cell phone and switching device, as described above, inside the cigarette machine. With this device it is then easily possible to determine whether a person has to fill the cigarette machine or individual chutes with cigarette boxes. 4 and 5, the invention is explained using a child monitoring device.

FIG. 4 shows an application example of an exemplary embodiment according to the invention.

A switching device G is connected to a first SMS receiving device, preferably a mobile telephone T1. This mobile telephone Tl is arranged, for example, at a suitable location in the children's room for monitoring. For example, the unit comprising the mobile telephone T1 and the switching device G can be equipped with a fastening device for fastening to the wall of the room or to the ceiling.

A microphone M is used to record the sound in the children's room. If the sound level exceeds a predeterminable threshold value, a tone sequence, preferably a child-soothing melody, is played back by means of a sound reproduction device via a loudspeaker L. After playing the melody, the sound level is measured again. If it again exceeds the predefinable threshold value, the melody is played again. A counter counts the exceeding of the sound level threshold occurring within a specifiable time interval. If the number of times the sound level threshold value has been exceeded exceeds a predeterminable maximum number within the predetermined time interval, the mobile telephone T1 sends a message to a second SMS receiving device, for example a mobile telephone T2. In this way, the person who carries the second mobile phone T2 with him is alerted and can see that everything is in order in the children's room. The person with the second mobile phone T2 can be inside or outside stop them. It is always safely alarmed when there are loud noises in the children's room.

It is particularly advantageous to use the microphone M of the mobile telephone Tl for sound recording and the loudspeaker L of the mobile telephone Tl for sound reproduction. However, the microphone M and the loudspeaker L can also be arranged in the switching device G or can be distributed as desired between the switching device G and the mobile telephone Tl.

FIG. 5 shows an arrangement for measuring the sound and for reproducing a tone sequence or melody.

The sound is recorded by means of a microphone M and converted into electrical signals, which are fed to a sound level measuring device SP. If the measured sound level exceeds a predeterminable threshold value, the sound level measuring device sends a control signal to a sound reproduction device T which plays a tone sequence or a melody via a loudspeaker L. As already mentioned, the sound level is measured again after the melody has been played. If the predefinable threshold value is exceeded again, the sound level measuring device generates the control signal for playing the melody for the sound reproduction device T. A counter Z counts the exceeding of the threshold value occurring within a predefinable time interval. If the number of threshold violations exceeds a predeterminable maximum number, the counter Z sends a control signal to the first mobile telephone T1 to which the switching device is connected. The control signal of the counter Z causes the mobile telephone T1 to send a message or an alarm signal to the second mobile telephone T2. The microphone M, the sound level measuring device SP, the counter Z, the sound reproduction device T and the loudspeaker L can be distributed as desired between the mobile phone Tl and the switching device G. The microphone M and the loudspeaker L of the mobile telephone Tl are preferably used. It is also advantageous to use the sound reproduction device T, which is already present in the mobile telephone T1, to reproduce the intended sequence of tones or melody. Only the sound level measuring device SP and the counter Z are then arranged in the switching device G.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 SMS receiving device, mobile phone

20 switchgear 22 terminals

24 control displays

26 clamps

AI output terminal A2 output terminal

El input terminal

Dl, D2 diodes

Kl, K2 supply voltage terminals

Sl, S2 earth terminals S switch

Rl, R2 relay devices

Dl, D2 diodes

LED yellow Yellow LED

LED red Red LED RS shutter control

G switchgear

L speaker

M microphone SP sound level meter

T sound player

Tl mobile phone

T2 mobile phone

Z counter

Claims

claims

1. Control and / or monitoring device with a switching device (20) which has a multiplicity of inputs and / or outputs (22, 26) which, according to the control commands supplied by the switching device (20), can be queried and / or are controllable, characterized in that the switching device (20) is coupled to an SMS receiving device (10) and has a decoding device by means of which received, predetermined SMS messages can be implemented in order to generate the control commands.

2. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 1, which also means that the SMS receiving device (10) is a telephone and in particular a mobile phone.

3. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 1, so that the SMS receiving device (10) is a personal computer, a portable personal computer (lap-top) or a hand-held computer (Palm).

4. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the switching device (20) has a power supply device which is fed by the SMS receiving device (10).

5. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 4, that the power supply device of the switching device (20) operates in a clocked manner.

6. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 4 or 5, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the power supply device of the switching device (20) has a buffer memory.

7. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the switching device (20), as input and / or output terminals (22, 26) at least one parallel output (AI, A2), a parallel input (El) and a large number of serial inputs and outputs (26).

8. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 7, that the switchgear (20) has two parallel outputs (AI, A2) and a parallel input (El).

9. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the switching device (20) has 32 serial outputs and 16 serial inputs.

10. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 9, that the switching device (20) has control displays (24).

11. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 10, so that the switching device (20) automatically carries out a control command acknowledgment after the execution of a control command by dialing the device sending an SMS message under their telephone number.

12. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 11, that a date is added to the control command acknowledgment.

13. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 12, d a d u r c h g e k e n z e i c h n e t that the control commands and associated SMS messages in the

Switching device (20) are stored in advance.

Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 13, so that the switching device (20) only executes a control command if a predetermined code word was added to the SMS message.

15. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the control and monitoring device direction is equipped with a sound level measuring device (S) and a sound reproduction device (T), that if a prescribable sound level threshold value of the sound reproduction device (T) is exceeded, a tone sequence can be reproduced for a specifiable period of time, after its reproduction the sound level can be measured again, that after a predetermined maximum number of times the sound level threshold is exceeded, a message can be transmitted to a second SMS receiving device (T2) for a predefinable period of time.

16. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 15, that the sound level measuring device (S) is arranged in the switching device (G).

17. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 15 or 16, so that the sound reproducing device (T) is arranged in the switching device (G).

18. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 15 or 17, that the sound level measuring device (S) is arranged in the SMS receiving device (Tl).

19. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 15 or 16, so that the sound reproduction device (T) is arranged in the SMS receiving device (Tl).

20. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that the SMS receiving device is a mobile phone (Tl), a telephone, a personal computer, a portable personal computer or a hand-held computer.

21. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 15 to 20, d a d u r c h g e k e n z e i c h n e t that a melody is provided as a tone sequence.

22. The control and / or monitoring device as claimed in claim 21, which also plays a soothing tune for small children.

23. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 20, 21 or 22, so that the microphone (M) of the mobile phone (Tl) is provided for recording the sound.

24. Control and / or monitoring device according to claim 20, 21, or 22, so that the acoustic sequence of the tone sequence or the melody of the loudspeakers (L) of the mobile telephone (Tl) is provided for acoustic reproduction.

25. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 15 to 24, so that the control and / or monitoring device is equipped with a fastening device for fastening to the wall or ceiling of a room.

26. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 15 to 25, that the second SMS receiving device (T2) is a telephone, a mobile phone, a personal computer, a portable personal computer or a hand-held computer.

27. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 15 to 26, characterized in net that a voice connection from the first SMS receiving device (T1) to the second SMS receiving device (T2) can be established.

28. Control and / or monitoring device according to one of claims 15 to 27, so that a voice connection to the first SMS receiving device (Tl) can be set up by the second SMS receiving device (T2).